G. L. Pease Quiet Nights

It's a solid GLP tobacco for sure. I do prefer Westminster and Abingdon to Quiet Nights by a huge margin though - which should tell you more about my taste than about the merits of this individual blend. In other words, the very sweet and full taste with the Latakia in the foreground in Quiet Nights just does not convince me as much. What am I missing, then? May it be the subtle nuances of the Oriental varieties so present in Abingdon? Or is the taste just too full for my liking?

Whatever the reason, if I want a tobacco that's been designed (or marketed) for smoking late in the evening, I reach more often for Nightcap with its exquisite balance of Virginia, Latakia, Orient and Perique and a more noble, very very restrained sweetness when compared to Greg's Quiet Nights.

3.0/4.0 stars

A contemplative blend for late in the evening. This was my favorite of the Old London Series that I have tried so far (haven't got to Gaslight yet). Rich, deep, satisfying, one of my favorite late night blends that i have tried in the past 10 years. A little drying needed, and then a perfect burn. 3 1/2 stars.

Quiet Nights is an overrated blend IMO. The ingredients imply complexity, but I find it lacking nuance.

The orientals are all up front, with the latakia a close second. The perique seems more like a condiment, and barely registers to my taste. Bottom 3rd of the bowl is where it loses some body, and becomes a bit bland. The result is just another 'okay blend' from Pease and Messrs. Cornel & Diehl.

It's by no means a bad blend, but there are better options.

Very pungent tin aroma . Needed a wee drying . The moisture and pack of the bowl must have been perfect because it smoked like a dream with one light in a sav pot ! It is creamy and rich , smokey and spicy and a little sour and salty . This blend it pushing a Lat bomb but doesn’t get there . The latakia is evident in every puff though . The orientals are close behind being herbal and slightly spicy and fragrant but not buttery . The perique is noticeable adding mostly pepper spice . The Virginias give it body but not much sweetness and a little fruit . Similar to Plum Pudding for me with more latakia . The latakia is quite good and tastes a little different than most blends that contain it to my tastes buds . Smells different also . A good blend , better than nightcap ( much smoother) . I bumped it up to 4 stars . Incense like aroma is intoxicating. This blend seems to be cased with something that sets it apart and is appreciated. I finished a tin and then started craving it . Couple weeks later same thing ! It that isn’t a 4 star blend then I don’t know what is?

Finally bit the bullet and ordered some Quiet Nights, which I've seen discussed over and over on here and on forums. Got through a few bowls and ... it's good. Not amazing, but definitely good.

Theres something there that has the "middle of the road everyman" balance of My Mixture 965. 965 always feels like not pushing hard into english territory, nor trying to be a VA/Per, nor otherwise diving into any common stereotypes, although it has aspects of many. Part of why I like 965 so much.

Quiet Nights is similar in one regard-- although arguably english, it has attributes of so many other genres of smoking it doesn't fall cleanly into any camp. It is more oriental-laden than 965 (although less oriental and less sweet than Penzance) less perique or latakia focused than Nightcap, and maybe showcases its Virginia's a little more than either of those.

Its MUCH lighter in flavor than Nightcap, and somewhat lighter than 965. I don't understand the reviewers who say it has more latakia than Nightcap -- not the vibe I get AT ALL. I think Nightcap's is just masked by the abundance of perique.

The first third of a bowl was truly lovely. The virginia and oriental combo struck a great note. It's not sweetly oriental, more a clear herbal vibe. The second third the orientals tamed down to a mild spiciness, the perique made an appearance (not pepper spicy, just some dark fruit and earthiness), and the Virginia's did their work.

But, the final third of each bowl failed it. Despite sipping the second bowl (I thought I'd soured the first bowl, potentially), the bitterness and ashy flavors come up hard at the end. As much as I hate the analogy, there was something cigarette-ish about the end of the pipe. Really a shame given how special the first third was...

I'll happily smoke this tin, although I'm dumping each bowl when the bitter sets in. Not sure I'll order more anytime soon, but also not a hater of this mixture. 3.5 out of 5 stars for me, so I guess 3 stars on here.

I understand now why this is named Quiet Nights. Contemplative and unhurried, suited to late evening, complex and thoughtful. I expected latakia to be at the fore, but to my surprise it is the orientals that are front and centre, with latakia in support, and virginias in the background. The spiciness and drying quality of the blend seem more oriental than emerging from the perique, and appear to contribute to the nicotine buzz that I get from this when smoked in a larger bowl.

Presented in the tin as a broken flake, it crumbles and breaks apart easily, and retains little moisture when opened or left to dry a while. Good, simple flavour profile that delivers a consistent and medium to slow burn. Taste is enhanced by a gentle retrohale, when the varietals play together.

Recommended.

Let’s start with the presentation. At first I was worried due to the “tin” being nothing more than plastic. Once opened my worries instantly melted away. The room filled with an aroma that screamed quality and all doubt disappeared as soon as I read the note left in every Quiet Nights Container. It’s the little things that make this tobacco so special, from the packaging down to the flavors. Care and thoughtfulness truly went into the creation of this blend. Now onto the smoke. One of the smoother English’s I’ve smoked so far. Every tobacco in this blend seems to compliment each other rather than fighting for the spotlight which creates an exciting balance of flavors that I happen to really enjoy. Having read some of the other reviews I wait with baited breath for the coming smokes this tobacco has to offer.

Perfection

I might stop there. The Latakia is the star in this flake, but surprisingly does not overwhelm the blend. It provides a velvety-smooth character to the smoke with flavors of old leather and a cedar-campfire. The red Virginias come in next adding a pleasant amount of sweetness and tanginess which help this flake stand out from other full English blends. The perique offers a little bit of spice to the edges of the smoke and a pleasant fermented undertone to the whole flake. Finally, the Turkish leaf adds to the dry texture of the smoke and provides a little sourness. The tobaccos merge into a well-balanced and complex full English.

It is perfection, so no other blends compare.

I received a sample of Quiet Nights in my December TinSociety box and was happy as this is one I've been wanting to try (I have a tin in the box waiting to be opened) but I've been trying to smoke out my open tins before jumping in... anyways...

The comparisons to Penzance had me scared as I'm not a fan of that Esoterica blend (my favorites are Margate and Pembroke) but I found Quiet Nights to the best english/oriental I've tried so far. The Latakia comes across smoky and deep, complimented by the orientials with some spicy notes which compliment the base. I do get hints of the perique, but not like in a VaPer more as icing on the cake so to speak. The flakes in the sample were at a great moisture point, I crumbled them slightly and loaded them in my favorite radiator stack bowl and puffed away with only one relight approximately 3/4 through the bowl (normal for the radiator).

I'm looking forward to the tin in my cellar as I wonder how this will age and I feel this will be a normal member of my long-term rotation.